Can vacuumizing and closing machine



- Dec. 4, 1934. m N. TROYER ET AL 7' 1,983,253 CAN VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Fi l ed Jan. 15, 1951 4 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec, 4, 1934.

N. TROYER ET AL CAN VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1951 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 4, 1934. N. TROYER ET AL 1,933,253

CAN VAGUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q INVENTORS /|/E1 50/v 7750751? N BY R404 5 1 54200 ATTORNEYS 4, 1934 NI TROYER El AL ICANVZCUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE I 7 Sheets-Sheet 4' il d Jan. 15, 1931 "INVENTORIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, 1934. N. TROYER ET AL cm VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MAGHINE Filed Jan. 124, 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nasm cfi ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, '1934.

N. TRQYER ET AL.

CAN VAGUUMIZING AND cnosme MACHINE Filed Jan. 1", 1931 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY War ATTORNEYS 4, 1 N. TROYER ET AL CAN VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,983,253 PATENT OFFICE v 1.983.253 can vaovumznm ANncLosmG MACHINE Nelson Troyer and Paul E.

Pearson, Seattle,

Wash, assignors to the Continental Can om-' D ll Application January l3,

12. Claim.

.vanced and within which chamber is a double seamer whereby the covers are seamed to the cans after the latter have been vacuumized.

An important feature of the machine or the co-pending application resides in the use 01' a rotating, pocketed valve for sealing the can entrance and outlet of the vacuumizing chamber,

and by means of which valve the cans are delivered into the-chamber tor vacuumizing and sealing and also'from the chamber after they are closed.

- Explanatoryto the present invention, it 'will be here stated that in the machine of the above application the housing within which the valve is contained is stationary and it is formed as a part of, or is fixed solidly to the wall of the vacuum chamber, and by reason of this fixed relationship, accesst'o the valve pockets and access to the vacuumizing chamber through the valve when such is necessary or desired, is rendered impossible. Theretore, it is a very diflicult task to so clear the machine and valve in the event cans, or their covers, become jammed within the valve mechanism. compactness of arrangement was featured in'this prioiihachine rather'tlian acces sibility to its interior parts.

It has been the principal object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned disadvantage of the machine, which otherwise has been-found to be very satisfactory, by the provision of a can sealing and vacuumizing machine 40 which embodies all of the desirable and advantageous features of the machine as previously constructed, while at the same time, certain features of construction are so arranged as to permit of ready access to all of the valve mechanism and to the seamer mechanism adjacent thereto; this being accomplished by constructing the valve housing as a part independent or the vacuumizing chamber, and by supporting it swlngingly or hingedly, so that when occasion arises, it may be released from its normal position closed against the chamber and swung outwardly and away from a the chamber to thereby open them apart and permit direct access both to the valvernechanism and to the mechanisms contained within the vacuu'mizing chamber adjacent to the valve.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a valve driving gearing associated with the hinge or pivot shaft about which the valve and its housing is made to swing, whereby the 'valve and the various devices associated therewith may 7 in a novel means provided Inc. a corporation of New York 1931, Serial No. 508,514 (01. 113-32) be operatively driven, and which gearing remains in operative connection with the driving shatt therefor and devices driven thereby for all positions of the valve, whether closedor opened.

Another object in the provision of means in connection with the driving shaft for the valve and its associated devices, and operable incident to any abnormal working strain being placed on the valve mechae of the present invention resides o5 nism or on its associated parts by reason oi isms,

to automatically disrupt the driving connection and, at the same time, to eflect the shutting oi! 01' power to the machine and the application of a brake for quickly stopping it.

Another object of this invention is to provide.75

novel means whereby the falling of vacuum within the vacuumizing chamber below a. permissible minimum for successful canning, will operate to stop the mac e, and which means also operates to prevent starting up' 01. the machine so so long as proper vacuum has not been created within the chamber.

Still another object o! the invention resides for draining the vacuumizing chamber of water therein Iromthe cans by reason of the latter entering the machine directly from a washer.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction, and in the combination of parts, and in their mode of operation, as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing thes objects ot the invention,v we provided meim struction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a can vacuumizing and sealing machine embodying the present invention; the valve member of the machine being shown in its outwardly adjusted or open position".

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the machine taken substantially on the line 2-2 in Figure 3; the valve being closed, but showing. in dotted. lines, its position when opened away from the vacuumizing chamber.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially ontheline3-3inFigure2; shown in open position.- u

Figsisaplanviewot-thegeartrainand mechanism by means of which the various parts or the machine are opera Fig. 5 is a sectional detail through the can conveyer mechanism taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 4. f

Fig.6 is a cross sectional view of a portion or the machine illustrating the means for operating the intermittent turret for feeding cans to the seamer heads and the means for actuating the pads for lifting the cans to seaming position relative to the seamer heads.

that may be collected as proveddetails "'ot 0on in the accompanying drawings. W

Fig. '1 is a vertical section length wise of the main drive shaft of the machine, taken on the line '7--7 in Figure 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail of the valve drive shaft with which is associated the safety clutch and power cut-ofi switch.

Fig. 9 is across section taken on the line 9--9 in Figure 8 showing the position of the switch.

Fig. 10 is a front view of the switch housing; its cover plate being removed for better illustration. I

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, sectional view of the drainage valve mechanism for the vacuum chamber.

Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram and the various devices associated with the safety clutch mechanism for automatically controlling the stopping of the machine.

' Referring more in detail to the drawings- To illustrate the present invention, we have shown a can closing machine that is designed especially for seaming the covers, or top ends, onto cans which have been filled under normal atmospheric conditions, but which are to be closed in abnormal atmospheric conditions, such as under vacuum.

Briefly described, the machine comprises a vacuumizing chamber 1 within which is contained a double seaming machine designated, in its entirety, by reference numeral 2. In this particular instance the seamer is a two-spindle machine comprising the seamer heads 3 and 4 for effecting the first and second seaming operations, respectively. The cans, designated by reference numeral 5, which are to be closed, are delivered successively to the vacuumizing and sealing machine after they have been filled and the covers 5 loosely clinched thereon. The can delivery means comprises a conveyer mechanism designated, in its entirety at 6 in Figure 2, from which the cans are advanced, or pushed into the pockets 8 of a rotating valve 9 by the arms '7 of a rotating turret 7. From these valve pockets the cans are extracted upon entering the vacuumizing chamber, by the arms 10 of an extractor turret 10 which operates to advance the cans successively into the pockets 11 of an intermittently advanced turret 12. This delivers the cans successively and in proper timing to the seanier heads 3 and 4 of the seamer which operates to double seam the covers to'the can bodies.

The turret 12, by reason or its intermittent advancement, delivers the cans after the covers have been seamed thereon, against a stationary guide 13 (see Fig. 2) whereby they are directed from the turret again into the pockets of. the valve 9, which carries them to the outside of the machine whereupon they are extracted from the pockets by the action of the. arms 14?- of a revolving extractor turret 14 which delivers them into a guideway 15 with which a conveyer belt or device of any suitable nature, as at 16, may be associated to carry them from the machine.

The vacuumizing chamber which contains the double seamer 2 is enclosed by an airtight housing 20, which, as shown best in Figure 2, is provided with suitable openings, as at 2 22 and 23 in its various side walls through which ready access for adjustment, repairs, or replacement may be had to the mechanism contained within the chamber. Each of these openings is fitted with an outwardly opening door, and the doors are adapted to close in an airtight fit. These doors 21", 22 and 23 for the various openings,

respectively. are liingedly mounted on the chamber housing and may be locked in closed positions by suitable locking devices, such as are indicated at 24. r

The housing 20 forming the vacuumizing chamber and which encloses the seamer mechanism proper is mounted upon a supporting housing 25, which as shown in Figure 3, contains the principal transmission mechanism whereby the various parts of the machine are driven. This latter housing also is airtight and is provided at one side with an opening 26 to give easy access to the mechanism therein. This opening has an outwardly swinging door 27 fitted thereto. The housing 25, in turn, is supported on a flat base 23 which extends to one side beneath the valve mechanism as a support for the valve hinging shaft and driving gears presently described.

The main drive shaft 30 of the machine extends transversely and horizontally through the base housing 25 as best illustrated in Figure 'l. and it is rotatably supported in anti-friction bearings 31 and is suitably packed to prevent leakage of air at the points where it passes through the housing walls. Atone end, the shaft is equipped with a driving pulley wheel 33 which is adapted to be operatively connected or released from the shaft by the manipulation of a clutch mechanism associated therewith and designated at 34. Slidably keyed on the other end of the shaft is a brake cone 35 adapted to be tightened against a correspondingly tapered inner surface of a brake drum 36 bolted or otherwise fixed to the outside of the chamberwall. A shift rod 37 extends centrally through the shaft 30 and at one end this has a cone 38 fixed thereon to co operate with levers of the clutch 34 to set or release it and at the other end has a nut connecting it with the brake cone 35. These various parts provide that longitudinal movement of the shift rod 3'7 in one direction will set the clutch and release the brake while its movement in the opposite direction will release the clutch and set the brake.

A hand control lever 29 is provided for mar.- ually setting or releasing the clutch and brake. This is fixed on the end of a cross shaft 42 rotatably supported from the housing 20 by brackets 43-13. Lever arms 44-44 are keyed on the shaft 42 and extend downwardly along opposite sides of the hub 35 of the clutch cone which is circumferentially grooved, as at 45, to receive the shifting pins 46 that are mounted in the ends of said arms 44. This arrangement of parts provides that by pushing the hand lever 39 inwardly rod 3'7 will be shifted outwardly to set the clutch and release the brake, and by pulling it, the clutch will be released and the brake set.

Fixed to the main driving shaft 30 of the machine, as shown in Figure 7, is a gear wheel 50 that meshes with and drives a gear 51 that is keyed on a shaft 52 supported parallel with and below the shaft 30 in bearings 53, 54 and 54; the bearings 54-54 being formed on the top of a gear housing 55 that is fixed to the base 28 of the machine. The shaft is formed with a worm gear 56 which meshes with a gear 5'7 disposed within the housing 55 and keyed to the end of a supporting shaft58, which extends forwardly from the housing 25 as best shown in Figure 8. to form a driving element for the valve mechanism, as will presently be described. This shaft 58 extends through a packed opening 60 in the housing wall and is supported at its outer end in a bearing 61 that is fixed to the base 28.

The valve 9, whereby the cans are delivered into and from the vacuumizing chamber of the machine, and which normally seals the can inlet and outlet passage to the chamber, is contained '5 rotatably within a valve housing 65. This housing is bolted, or otherwise fixed upon a base 66 which supports a post or spindle 67 on which the valve rotates within its housing. As shown best in Figure 3, the valve housing 65 and the base housing 66 are provided at one side with laterally extending portions 65 and 66 respectively, formed with vertically alined bearings 6868 adapted to be disposed in alinement between journal bearings 69-69 fixed to the vacuum chamber housing, and also in alinement with a bearing socket 69 formed in the base 28. These alined bearings receive therethrough a vertical shaft 70 which servesas a hinge pin or pivot for supporting the valve housing and its base, and about which these parts may be swung into and from closed relation with respect to the housing of the vacuumizing chamber. This movement of the valve is best illustrated in Figure 2 wherein it is shown in closed position in 25- full lines',and in open position in dotted lines,

and it is to be noted that the feed conveyer and turrets are carried with the valve housing.

It will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 3 that the housing 20 of the vacuumizing chamber is formed at one side with an inwardly rounded wall seat 71 that is provided with an opening '72 of considerable extent, and that the valve housing 65 is correspondingly rounded outfit snugly against the seat 71 and has an opening 74 .adapted to register with The valve 9 is rotatably supported within its housing by the vertical post or spindle 67 which is revolubly mounted at its lower end'in a guide. bearing 81 formed in the valve housing base and at its upper end, is supported by anti-friction bearings 82 and 83 disposed, respectively, below and above the valve; the bearings 82 being supported by the valve housing base 66 and the upper bearing 83 being contained within a downwardly facing socket formed as a part of the valve housing cover 65 The valve 9 is keyed to the post for rotation thereby, and the post, in

turn, is adapted'to be driven by a gear wheel 85' 7 that is keyed to its lower en The gear 85 is connected to the valve driving shaft 58 and safety clutch through the medium of a gear train including base ,66. tegral ,with the upper end of rotatable about the lower end shaft '10. on the lower end of this sleeve 89 is keyed a beveled gear 90 meshing with a bevel gear 91 on a sleeve 92 revoluble upon the shaft 58 within thesupporting bearing 61, as shown best in Figures 3 and *8. connected to its driving shaft 58 through the medium of the automatically operating safety a sleeve 89 that is portion of the hinge fitted and which balls an idler gear 86 i'neshing with gear 'and mounted on a vertical, supporting stub shaft.87 fixed in the valve housing The gear 86 ,meshes with age'ar 88 in- This sleeve 92 is operatively.

clutch mechanism previously mentioned, which operates incident to abnormal strain on the working parts of the valve to disrupt the driving connection, and at the same time, to automatically actuate a switch to effect the shifting of the clutch and application of the brake to stop the machine.

The safety clutch mechanism as shown best in Figure 8 comprises a disk 95 formed on one end of a sleeve 96 that is splined on shaft 58 and seatingat one end against a shoulder 97 on the shaft. This disk 95 is closely adjacent a similar disk 98 in opposed relation thereto and formed on the end ofsleeve 92, and itis provided with a plurality of holes 99 in which steel balls 100 are project from the face of the disk into holes 101 in the disk 98; these latter holes being of lesser diameter than the balls so that the extent to which theballs may 'enter' them is limited.

'Seated against the face of disk 95 is a ball retaining disk or plate 102. This is held yieldingly in place by a plurality of coiled springs 103 that have ends seated in sockets 104 in the plate 102 and in sockets 105 of a similar plate 106 mounted on the outer end of sleeve 96 and held in proper adjustment by a lock nut 107 threaded onto the sleeve. Since the sleeve 96 is splined on shaft 58, it is driven thereby, and through the disk portion 95 of the sleeve and the balls 100 seated therein, it affords a driving connection with the disk '98 and sleeve 92. Under normal working conditions the balls are retained in place to provide a driving connection by the plate 102 under. tension of springs 103, but should there be any abnormal strain placed on the valve, this will be transmitted through the various gears and shafts to the clutch with the tendency of depressing the disk 102 against the holding tendency of springs 103, thus permitting the balls 100 to unseat from the holes 99 and disrupt the driving connection so that any damage to the valve mechanism by reason of a continued driving after a jam has occurred, will be avoided.

This depressing or inward shifting of disk 102, which is incident to a disrupting action of the driving connection between shaft 58 and the valve driving parts, operates also to cut off power to the machine and to apply the brake 35. The means for effecting this result is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 12, and in detail in Figures 1, 9 and 10.

Referring particularly to Figure 12, 110 designates an air cylinder that is fixedly mounted on hous'ng and in which a piston 111 is fitted. This piston is fixed to the upper end of a rod 40 connected pivotally at its lower end to an arm 39b which is fixed rigidly to or'formed inwhich is operatively connected by a'rod 117" to}- the valve plug 118to provide for shifting the plug to open or close the valve and thereby admit or cut off vacuum from pipe 113 .to the cylinderllO.

' Electric current for 'the' solenoid is supplied from a suitable source by circuit wires 120-121 which enter a switch box 124 mounted on the housing 20, and within which box is contained a vacuum control switch mechanism 125 which is parts thereofopened and closed under the I in the chamber 20. This switch mechanism includes a sylphon bellows 126 connected by a pipe 127 with chamber 20 and this bellows, through various devices, not herein described in detail, operates to throw a switch lever 128 from and against a fixed contact 129.

Associated with the solenoid and the vacuum control switch 125, isanother switch'that is located adjacent to and is adapted to be actuated by the safety clutch mechanism on the shaft 58. This switch, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, is mounted within a housing 130 and itincludes a shaft 131 that is rotatablyjmountedto extend through the hous'ing'wall and which, at

its inner end, has a lever 132 fixed thereto carrying a stop 133 resting against the outer face of plate 10-2. On the outer end of shaft 131 within the housing is a switch lev'er arm 135 (see Figure 10) having a contact 136at its end which normally engages a stationary contact 137 but which will be disengaged therefrom by rotative movement of shaft-131 under a disrupting action of the safety clutch.

In electrically wiring the control switches, the circuit wire 120 is connected in switch box 124 to the contact 129. Switch lever 128 is connected by a circuit wire 140 with one side'of the solenoid 115 and the other side of the solenoid is connected by circuit wire 141 with the fixed contact 137 of the switch in housing 130. The contact 136 of this latter switch is connected by a wire 142 with the circuit wire 121. Normally, in operation, the circuit is closed through the two switches and solenoid, and the solenoid core is thereby held in a position at which it retains the valve 114 closed so that no vacuum is applied to the cylinder 110.

Assuming that, for any reason, a jam should occur within the valve housing and that this should operate to effect a disrupting action of the safety clutch mechanism whereby the disk 102 is depressed against the tension of springs 103. This movement of disk 102 will operate, through the lever 132 and shaft 131, to disengage the contact 136 from the contact 138 thereby opening the circuit'through'the solenoid. This deenergizing of the solenoid permits the valve plug to be moved downwardly by its own weight and thereby open communication through pipe 112 between the sourceof vacuum'and cylinder 110. This effects an upward movement of the piston 111 and the rod 40 with a consequent shiftin of the clutch 34 to disconnect the driving pulley from the main shaft 30 and at the same time to set the brake 35 as was previously described.

This almost immediately stops the machine and it cannot again be started up until the clutch is( manually set by leven'39. After a-disrupting action of this character, the valve housing 65 may be cleared of the jam and when this is done, parts of the safety clutch mechanism will resume their normal driving relationship. 1

Assuming that for any reason the vacuum within the chamber 20 should fall below that desired to be maintained for proper can l then the switch mechanism 125 will operate by reason of expansion of sylphon' 126 to disengage the contact arm 128 from the contact 129' thereby opening the electric circuit to the solenoid to effect the stopping of the machine in the same manner as it was effected by the switch associated with the disrupting mechanism. The switch mechanism 125 is not described in detail since in itself it. forms no part of this invention, howinfiuence of vacuum ever, itwill be stated that it embodies an adjustable means whereby it may be set to operate at any predetermined vacuum.

Referring again to the devices associated with the valve, mechanism for feeding the cans into and from the vacuumizing chamber, which devices are shown best in Figure 2 and their driving gears in Figure 4, it will be observed that the transfer turret 10 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft which is driven by a gear 151 at its lower end operating in mesh with the driving gear 85 fixed on the lower end of the valve spindle. Likewise, the extractor turret 14 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 153 rotatably supported in the valve housing and which at its lower end has a gear wheel 155 keyed thereon which meshes with the gear 85. ,The driving gears forthese two turrets are properly proportioned with respect'to the gear 85 so that the turret arms will enter the valve pockets atthe proper times for extracting the cans therefrom.

The feed conveyer mechanism, designated at 6, which includes the turret 7, is driven by a gear train connectionwiththe idler gear 86. As shown in Figure 5, the turret '7 is fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft 158 which, at its lower end, has a gear wheel 159 fixed thereon,--meshing with an idler gear 160, on a shaft 161 providing connection with the idler 86. A conveyer frame 165 is supported from the valve housing 66 and this mounts parallel conveyer chains 166-166 which operate about sprockets 167-468 in the frame to deliver the cans 5 to the turret 7. These ,cans are-timed in their delivery to the turret by a' timing screw 170 parallel with the conveyer. The driving means for the conveyer chains and for the timing screw is best shown in Figure 5,

wherein 1'71 designates a beveledgear fixed on in a bearing 186 and which carries a gear 18'! the gear train provides that all of the mechanisms associated directly withthe valve for transferring cans to the valve and from it, is driven through from the gear 88 which is mounted about the pivot shaft 70. It also provides that regardless of the position of the valve mechanism, whether'opened or closed, the driving connection for the various parts with the gear 88 is maintained and the valve mechanism may. then be operated whether it is in opened or closed position. An advantage of so arranging the ,gear train is that should a jam occur and it should be desired to open up the valve to clear it, the

outward swinging of the valve-mechanism from the shaft 30. The seaming spindles 125 meshing with the gear 1'76. This arrangement of I ner forseaming the ends or covers to the can bodies as they are advanced successively to the heads by the intermittent movement of the turhaving a circumferentially directed groove 206 therein opening laterally at its ends to opposite,

sides of the cam. The turret 12 is supported by a vertical post 207 revoluble in bearings 208 in the top wall of the housing 25, as shown in Figure 3 and at itslower end, this post has a wheel 209 fixed thereon and overlying the cam and provided on its underside with six concentrically arranged rollers 210 corresponding to the six pockets of the turret 12. These rollers are adapted to be receivedsuccessively in one end of the cam groove 206 which is so shaped that. as a roller 210 leaves the groove at one side of the cam, the next roller is caused to enter at the opposite side.

Thus each turn of the cam .causes the turret to r be advanced, after a. certain interval of rest, through one-sixth of a turn.

The cams 5 are advanced successively from the valve 9 by the turret 10 and are placed in successive pockets 11 of the turret 12 during periods of rest of the latter turret. The second advance movement of the turret 12, after each can is received therein, places that can in registration with the seamer head 3 for the first seaming operation. By two more advance movements, the can is placed in registration with the second seamer head 4 for the second and completing seaming operation.

In order to position the cans properly with respect to the seamer heads after they have been brought into registration therewith, they must .bE slightly elevated, and for this purpose, there is provided the can elevating pads 212-212 (see Figure 6) disposed within openings 213 in a platform, or plate 21d upon which the cans are supported and pushed along by the turret 12.

These pads are flush with the top of the plate 214 so that the cans may he slid easily on to them and they are mounted on the upper ends of slides 215 carried in guideways 216 formed in the top wall of the housing 25. At their lower ends, the slides are pivotally connected by links 217 with the inner ends of horizontally disposed levers 218. At their outer ends,'the levers are swingingly mounted on a supporting shaft 218'. At their swinging ends, the levers 218' carry rollers 219 disposed in cam grooves 220--220' provided, respectively, in the side faces of the gear wheel 202 and a similar wheel 202' which are keyed to the shaft 200 at opposite sides of the indexing cam. These cam wheels are timed with the cam 205 so as to actuate the slides to lift the cans thereon into seaming position and then to lower them duringperiods of rest of the turret 12.

In machines of this character, it is necessary to frequently drain the machine of water that collects therein by reason of the fact that the cans are delivered into the machine directly from a washer. The water collected from the cans settles into the top wall of the housing 25 which is inclined in such manner as to drain the water toward a reservoir 250 at the back side of the machine. Entrance of the water from the housadapted to close an opening 255 into the housing. The valve plunger has a longitudinal channel 256 from its inner end to lateral ports 25'! that open therefrom into the reservoir. A valve seat 258 is formed near the ports and a valve head 258' is formed near the ports and a valve head 258' is fitted thereto; This head is mounted on the end of a stem 259 which extends to the outside of the bearing and is there provided with a handle 260. A coiled spring 261 is interposed about the stem 259 and bears against the head 258' and a plug 263 to hold the valve head seated and thus normally prevent communication between the vacuum chamber and the reservoir through channel 256. The spring 261, in this instance, bears inwardly on the valve 258-to hold it closed and vacuum in the chamber holds the valve 254 seated.

When it is desired to drain water collected in the seaming chamber into the reservoir, the operator pulls outwardly on the handle 260. This first compresses the spring 261 and unseats the valve 258 allowing the vacuum in the seaming chamber and in the reservoir to be equalized through the channel 256 and its lateral ports. A further outward movement of the handle then unseats the valve 254 so that the water in the seamer may drain freely into the basin. After the seamer housing has thus been drained, the handle is pushed inwardly and the valves are again seated. The reservoir may then be drained by opening a drain valve 270 provided in its side wall, as shown best in Figure 2.

Having thus described our invention, what weclaim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a chamber, a can sealing machine in the chamber, a can delivery valve associated with the chamber, a main drive shaft, driving connections for the sealing machine and valve operatively connected with the main drive shaft, a clutch included in the driving. connection for the valve operable under abnormal strain to release the connection, a

driving clutch for the main shaft, and means operable incident to a releasing action of the first mentioned clutch to effect a release of the driving clutch.

2. A construction as in claim 1, wherein the first mentioned clutch automatically resets itself when. normal conditions are restored, and wherein means is provided for manually resetting or releasing the second mentioned clutch.

3. In a machine of the character described, a chamber, a can sealing machine in the chamber, a can delivery valve associated with the chamber, a main drive shaft, driving connections for the sealing machine and a valve operatively connected with the main drive shaft, a clutch included in the driving connection for the valve operable under abnormal strain to release the connection, a driving clutch for the main shaft, means operable incident to a releasing-action of the first mentioned clutch'tc efi'ect a release of the the sealing machine incident to release of the driving clutch.

4. In a machine of the character described, a chamber, a can sealing machine in the chamber, a can delivery valve associated with the chamber, a main drive shaft, driving connections for the sealing machine and a valve operatively connected with the main drive shaft, a clutch included in the driving connection for the valve operable under abnormal strain to release the connection, a driving clutch for the main shaft, means operable incident to a releasing action of the first mentioned clutch to effect a release of the driving clutch, and adapted to be released incident to resetting movement of the driving clutch.

5. In a machine of the character described, a can sealing machine, a can feeding valve, a main drive shaft, a driving clutch for said shaft, a driving connection from the main shaft to the sealing machine, a driving connection from the main shaft to the alve including a clutch yieldable under abnormal working strain to release the driving connection, a source of vacuum, a cylinder connected therewith, a piston in said cylinder arranged for movement incident to an application of vacuum to the cylinder, means operable incident to yielding of the clutch in the valve driving connection to effect an application of vacuum to the cylinder, and means operable by the pistonincident to its movement to release the driving clutch of the main shaft.

6; In a machine of the character described, a vacuum chamber, a can sealing machine within the chamber, a can delivery valve associated with the chamber, a main drive shaft, a driving clutch for said shaft, a driving connection from the main shaft to the sealing machine, a driving connection from the main shaft to the can feed valve; said last connection including a clutch that is yieldable under abnormal working strain to release the driving connection, a source of vacuum for the chamber, a cylinder having connection with the said source of vacuum, a control valve in the connection, a solenoid operatively connected with the valve, a normally closed circuit for the solenoid, a piston in the cylinder adapted movable by application of vacuum to the cylinder, a normally closed switch in the electric circuit adapted to be opened by yielding of the clutch in the valve driving connection to thereby deenergize the solenoid and permit opening of the control valve for application of vacuum -to the cylinder, and means operable incident to movement of the piston following an application of vacuum to the cylinder to release the driving clutch of the main shaft.

7. A construction as in claim 6 including a second normally closed switch in the circuit and means operable under influence of vacuum in the chamber for opening it to deenergize the solenoid to effect application of vacuum to the cylinder and disconnection of the driving clutch.

8. In a machine of the character described, a vacuum chamber, a seaming machine within the chamber, means for delivering cans into the chamber for seaming, a main drive shaft, a driving clutch for the shaft, clutch releasing means, a source of vacuum for the chamber, a cylinder having a valve connection with the said source of vacuum, a piston in the cylinder "operatively connected for releasing the driving clutch, a solenoid operatively connected with the valve, a normally closed electric circuit for the solenoid whereby the latter is energized to retain the valve of the cylinder in closed position, and a normally closed switch in the circuit and means operable under the influence of vacuum within the chamber for opening the switch to deenergize the solenoid to effect application of vacuum to the cylinder and a resultant releasing of the driving clutch.

9. A device as in claim 8 including means whereby the driving clutch may be manually reset.

10. In a machine of the character described, a vacuum chamber, a closed reservoir connected therewith through a drainage opening in the chamber; said reservoir having a valved drainage outlet, a valve fitted to the drainage opening, a stem for said valve and having a channel therein adapted to provide communication between said vacuum chamber and reservoir, a valve normally closing said channel, a stem for the second valve extending to theoutside of the reservoir initially movable to unseat the second valve to open the channel for equalizing pressures in the chamber and reservoir, and movable farther to unseat the first valve for draining the chamber into the reservoir.

11. A can vacuumizing and closing machine including in combination, a main housing having a vacuumizing chamber, said housing having an opening at one side thereof, a can seaming mechanism in said chamber, a valve housing for closing the opening in the main housing leading to the vacuum chamber, a support for said valve housing permitting movement thereof to open position away from'the main housing, said valve housing having valve seats, and a valve located in said valve housing and contacting with said valve seats, said valve having pockets for delivering cans to and from said chamber, driving means for the seaming mechanism, and driving means for the valve connected with the driving means for the seaming mechanism, and maintaining an operative connection therewith for both the open and closed positions of the valve housing.

' 12. A can vacuumizing and closing machine including in combination, a main housing having a vacuum chamber and an opening in said housing leading to said chamber, a can seaming mechanism in said chamber, a valve housing having an airtight joint connection with said housing about said opening for closing the same, a hinge shaft supporting the valve housing from said .mainhousing and about which shaft said valve housing may swing from closed to open positions away from the main housing, a valve in said valve housing for delivering cans into and from the chamber through said opening, said valve housing having a seat with which said valve contacts, means for driving the seaming I mechanism, means for driving the valve connected with the driving means of the seaming mechanism, and a valve connected with the driving means of the seaming mechanism by wheel coaxial of the hinge shaft and through which gear driving connection is maintained for all positions of adjustment of the valve houss.

. NELSON TROYER.

PAUL E; PEARSON.

devices including a gear 

